Snow architecture scoop

ABSTRACT

A device and method for use in producing compacted blocks of snow which can be assembled and shaped into sculptured works or other snow structures, the device comprising a scoop in the nature of an open ended mold having four tapered closed sides and a proximal end wall defining a mold cavity. The proximal end wall contains air holes and a handle to be gripped by the user. Snow blocks are formed in a continuous manner by forcing the open end of the scoop into snow, compacting the snow in the mold cavity of the scoop when the scoop is full of snow by pushing the scoop toward the ground into more snow and jarring the compacted snow from the mold cavity after elevating the scoop.

Unite States atent Shatter 1541 SNOW CECTURE SCOOP [72] Inventor: JasperDean Shaffer, 150 South First E., Providence, Utah 84332 22 Filed: Oct.21, 1910 [21] App1.No.: 82,660

'52 U.S.C1 ..425/276, 4611 R, 249/141, 425/812 51 Int.C1 ..B28b7/34,A23g 5/02 [58] Field of Search ..249/134, 69, 1, 13, 117, 207,249/127,141,133, 70,120,l21,131, 203;

18/DIG. 57, 2 RM, 1 R, 42 J, DIG. 55, 39;

46/11,16, 41, 1 R; 215/1 C; 220/DIG. 6,94

[151 3,685,942 [4 1 Aug. 22, 1972 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer OverholserAssistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney-Lynn G. Foster [57] ABSTRACT Adevice and method for use in producing compacted blocks of snow whichcan be assembled and shaped into sculptured works or other snowstructures, the device comprising a scoop in the nature of an open endedmold having four tapered closed sides and a proximal end wall defining amold cavity. The proximal end wall contains air holes and a handle to begripped by the user. Snow blocks are formed in a con tinuous manner byforcing the open end of the scoop into snow, compacting the snow in themold cavity of the scoop when the scoop is full of snow by pushing thescoop toward the ground into more snow and jarring the compacted snowfrom the mold cavity after elevating the scoop.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDmzz ls}? FIG. 7

IN JASPER DEA NTOR.

BACKGROUND l. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to adevice and method of making architectural creations of snow or otherlike compressible material, and more particularly to a scoop and relatedmethod for fabricating blocks of snow or the like which can be combinedto form sculptured works, fortresses, etc.

2. Prior Art and Objects of the Invention Prior art devices that areused to form, mold or otherwise structure loose snow, include anapparatus comprising a shovel, a box and an ejector used in combinationto form snow blocks of a predetermined configuration while being used toshovel the snow from a walkway. This apparatus is costly, awkward to usein making snow blocks and may not adequately compact the snow blockwithout excessive labor. Another apparatus comprises tongs includinghandles which compress snow within a portable mold, half the mold beingattached to one handle and half to the other.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present inventioncomprises a novel, manually operable scoop which comprises a housingwith handle structure, the housing also defining a mold cavity open atone end. Provision is made for evacuating air from the mold cavity assnow or the like is caused to be located in the cavity. Snow blocks arereadily formed in a continuous manner by displacing the scoop withinavailable snow until the mold cavity is filled with snow which iscompressed. Additional compaction results thereafter when the mouth ofthe cavity is oriented downward and the scoop is forced toward theground into more snow, following which the snow is removed from thecavity by a jarring motion after the scoop has been elevated.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a noveldevice and unique method for forming snow blocks, the device beingsimple to use.

Also it is the object of this invention to provide a device and method,the device being inexpensive and relatively simple to manufacture.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following description and appendedclaims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective representationof a presently preferred scoop according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective representation of another type ofproximal end for the scoop;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of still another proximal endconstruction for the scoop;

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate the manner in which the scoop is used toform blocks of snow; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective representation of snow architecture formed usingblocks fabricated with the scoop of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT With particularreference to FIGS. 1 through 4, presently preferred scoop structure,according to the present invention, will now be described, like numeralsbeing used to identify like parts throughout.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, which is generally designated 10. The scoop 10 comprises ahousing or enclosure 12, which defines an open end or mouth 14 at thedistal edges of four sides 16 through 19. The edges at the mouth 14, ifdesired, may be tapered to a narrow edge (not shown). The constructionof the scoop 10 is preferably of one-piece injection molded plastic. Inany event, the sidewalls 16 through 19 are integral one with another anddefine a mold cavity 20.

The walls 16 through 19 of the housing 12 are tapered so that the moldcavity 20 is shaped for a more ready egress of snow or the likefollowing introduction and compaction. Only a very slight taper isrequired to serve the indicated purpose.

The proximal end of the housing 12 is closed at 22, the end 22 beingintegral with the previously mentioned sides 16 through 19. A pluralityof air holes 24 are provided in the end 22 to accommodate expulsion ofair from the mold cavity 20 as the mold cavity is being filled withsnow.

For ease of handling, a handle, generally designated 26 axially extendsfrom the back wall 22 and is integral therewith. The handle 26comprises, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate 28 into which alarge slot 30 is formed of sufficient dimension to allow the user toreadily place his or her hand therethrough to handle and control thescoop. It is not critical that the handle be of the configurationindicated nor that it be located precisely as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2.

For example, the proximal end of the scoop may be configurated asillustrated in FIG. 3. Specifically, the four walls 16 through 19 mergeinto a rectangular flange extension 36 which is spanned in one directionby a handle 38 comprising a plate 40 which is integral with the flange36 and defines a slot 42 for receiving the fingers or hand of the user.

In like manner, the proximal end of the scoop may be configurated asillustrated in FIG. 4. Specifically, the end construction of FIG. 4comprises a flange 44 forming an extension of the previously mentionedwalls 16 through 19, opposed legs of the flange 46 and 48 defininghand-receiving slots 50 and 52 respectively, to receive the two hands ofthe user.

Snow or like blocks are formed in a continuous manner by the usergripping the handle and by forcing the open mouth 14 into snow ladenupon the ground with sufficient force to cause the snow to becomecompacted within the mold cavity 20, as best shown in FIG. 5. Thecompaction of the snow in the mold cavity of the scoop may be completedby orienting the scoop in a vertical direction with the mouth down andforcing the mouth toward the ground in the snow, as shown in FIG. 6.Thus, additional snow may be forced into the scoop and the snow alreadyin the scoop will be further compacted. Subsequently, the scoop iselevated above the snow level on the ground and is advanced in adownward direction continuously followed by upward jerks so that thescoop is jarred and the compacted snow is ejected from the mold cavity,as shown in FIG. 6

Once a number of snow blocks have been fabricated in the mannerdescribed, they may be assembled to form walls, igloos, snow furniture,sculptured works of art, etc. One type of snow block construction, whichmay be constructed using blocks formed according to the presentinvention is illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, each snow block 60 is placedin tiers which are staggered one in respect to the next, and are shapedto define a series of steps 62 and a surface slide 64 for children.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

l. A device for making construction of snow and the like compressiblematerial comprising: a plastic scoop structure including a housingclosed by a back wall at one end, the housing comprising four side wallstapered outward from the proximal ends thereof and integrally connectedone to the next, the proximal end of each side wall being integrallyjoined to but extending slightly beyond the back wall thereby defining arearwardly extending flange, the side walls and back walls incombination defining a divergent mold cavity for receiving the snow,said back wall comprising at least one aperture for venting air from themold cavity as snow is received, the distal end of the side wallstogether defining a front opening to the mold cavity, the scoopstructure further comprising handle means including a thin slottedbridge spanning between opposed portions of said rear flange which doesnot extend beyond the axial length of the flange, said handle meansextending transversely of said back wall and adapted to be manuallygripped by the user and used to manipulate the scoop to fill it withsnow, to compact the snow in the scoop and to discharge the compactedsnow as a block.

1. A device for making construction of snow and the like compressible material comprising: a plastic scoop structure including a housing closed by a back wall at one end, the housing comprising four side walls tapered outward from the proximal ends thereof and integrally connected one to the next, the proximal end of each side wall being integrally joined to but extending slightly beyond the back wall thereby defining a rearwardly extending flange, the side walls and back walls in combination defining a divergent mold cavity for receiving the snow, said back wall comprising at least one aperture for venting air from the mold cavity as snow is received, the distal end of the side walls together defining a front opening to the mold cavity, the scoop structure further comprising handle means including a thin slotted bridge spanning between opposed portions of said rear flange which does not extend beyond the axial length of the flange, said handle means extending transversely of said back wall and adapted to be manually gripped by the user and used to manipulate the scoop to fill it with snow, to compact the snow in the scoop and to discharge the compacted snow as a block. 